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Economica - by  Victoria Bateman (Hardcover) - 1 of 1

Economica - by Victoria Bateman (Hardcover)

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Highlights

  • Acclaimed economic historian Victoria Bateman tells the story of how women made the world rich "A must-read for anyone interested in women's history and economic justice.
  • About the Author: Victoria Bateman has taught at the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, most recently as the director of studies in economics at Gonville & Caius College.
  • 480 Pages
  • Business + Money Management, Economic History

Description



About the Book



"How many female entrepreneurs, economic revolutionaries, merchants, and industrialists can you name? You would be forgiven for thinking that, until very recently, there were none at all. But what about Phryne, the richest woman in ancient Athens, who offered to pay to rebuild the walls of Thebes after the city was razed by Alexander the Great? Or what about Priscilla Wakefield, the writer who set up the first English bank for women and children? And, just as important, what about the everyday women who, paid only a pittance, labored for the profit of others? From the most successful women of their day to those who struggled to make ends meet, Economica takes you on a journey that begins in the Stone Age and ends in the twenty-first century, spanning the world's historic centers of prosperity: Egypt, Mesopotamia, Peru, the Indus Valley, the Roman Empire, the Islamic Empire, China, Europe, and the United States. By shining a light on the women whose contributions to the economy have been hidden for far too long, Economica is more than a history of women-it is a more accurate economic history of us all"-- Provided by publisher.



Book Synopsis



Acclaimed economic historian Victoria Bateman tells the story of how women made the world rich

"A must-read for anyone interested in women's history and economic justice." --Amanda Foreman, author of The Duchess

A Financial Times Best Book of the Year

How many female entrepreneurs, economic revolutionaries, merchants, and industrialists can you name? You would be forgiven for thinking that, until very recently, there were none at all.

But what about Phryne, the richest woman in ancient Athens, who offered to pay to rebuild the walls of Thebes after the city was razed by Alexander the Great? Or what about Priscilla Wakefield, the writer who set up the first English bank for women and children? And, just as important, what about the everyday women who, paid only a pittance, labored for the profit of others?

From the most successful women of their day to those who struggled to make ends meet, Economica takes you on a journey that begins in the Stone Age and ends in the twenty-first century, spanning the world's historic centers of prosperity: Egypt, Mesopotamia, Peru, the Indus Valley, the Roman Empire, the Islamic Empire, China, Europe, and the United States. By shining a light on the women whose contributions to the economy have been hidden for far too long, Economica is more than a history of women--it is a more accurate economic history of us all.



Review Quotes




"A great read . . . Bateman's gifts as a scholar, writer and wit are beautifully displayed throughout. Here, she raises the widest of Minervan wings to move confidently across the centuries and the continents. Arguments are conveyed through vivid storytelling, making Economica engaging, enjoyable, pacy, fun and quite frankly, exciting in many places." --The Economic History Review

"Erudite, ambitious and richly global in scope, Economica shows how women's economic labor has so often been overlooked, ignored or relegated to obscurity. Victoria Bateman's fascinating book does not just offer a corrective to the past, but serves as a vital guide to our collective futures." --Peter Frankopan, New York Times bestselling author of The Silk Roads

"Bateman's message is crucial, timely, and a warning." --Washington Independent Review of Books

"Surprising and illuminating... An invaluable book [that] restores women to the centre of economic history." --Business Standard

"A compelling read...filled with interesting and extraordinary stories of women, both well-known to or obscured by history." --The Telegraph (India)

"While traditional historians have presented the past as a land in which men were the producers and women only reproducers, Bateman convincingly shows that this was never the case. In doing so, she creates a more comprehensive account of our common heritage. ... A persuasive argument." --The Hindu

A Financial Times Best Book of the Year

"An important retelling of global economic history that places women at the centre... Bateman is a great storyteller."--Financial Times

"[Bateman's] book is entertaining and her contribution is indisputable."--The Times Literary Supplement

"Ambitious, wide-ranging and absorbing--this book sets a new standard in economic history."--Tim Harford, author of The Undercover Economist

"An entertainingly readable, well-evidenced global history that places women at its heart. Taking a grand sweep across the ages, it delivers a powerful message about freedoms and challenges us to shape our planet in the interests of all our citizens."--Sara Horrell, professor of economic history, London School of Economics

"Taking readers on an enthralling journey from prehistory to the modern world, Victoria Bateman rightly emphasizes the importance of women's economic agency in human history. Filled with fascinating details, from the Mesopotamian traders whose wives ran the family business back home to the female factory workers of the industrial age and the twenty-first century care workers whose labor has been so frequently overlooked, Economica puts women's work back into the story of the global economy. Making the case for women's central importance, readers will be left wondering how economic history could ever be studied without reference to one half of the world's population."--Elizabeth Norton, author of The Hidden Lives of Tudor Women

"The economic history of half of humankind has broken out of its ghetto. The time has come for Victoria Bateman's comprehensive stocktaking of how women figured in the economy, from the caves to the computers. And the time has come for you to read it."--Deirdre McCloskey, author of Economical Writing

"This wonderful book is not just a much-needed economic history of women but an economic history of everyone--for in Bateman's eyes giving freedom, equality, and dignity to women leads to high productivity and economic growth. The economic success of men is not down solely to their own abilities and efforts but is a joint product of the economic success of their mothers, sisters, and daughters. This thesis is defended with a wide-ranging familiarity with world history and an acute analysis of the economic incentives and forces at play. Economica is also a pleasure to read."--Robert C. Allen, author of Global Economic History: A Very Short Introduction

"Victoria Bateman's Economica is a must-read for anyone interested in women's history and economic justice. Bateman powerfully argues that women have always been central to economic life, from 18th-century shoemakers like Ann Askew to pioneers like Priscilla Wakefield, who founded the UK's first bank for women and children. For centuries, laws and social norms have constrained women's economic freedom, not only limiting individual potential but also undermining prosperity for all. Her research reminds us: economies thrive when women have the autonomy to work, earn, and control their wealth."--Amanda Foreman, author of The Duchess

"Victoria Bateman's revelatory and compelling new book puts women at the very heart of mankind's economic history. Economica should help ensure that's where they will remain."--Ben Chu, BBC

"Who are the wealth creators? Victoria Bateman shows that the standard image of heroic male entrepreneurs or inventors could not be more misleading; in Economica she tells a gripping tale of all the unsung female industrialists and workers who are missing from conventional economic histories."--Diane Coyle, author of GDP: A Brief but Affectionate History



About the Author



Victoria Bateman has taught at the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, most recently as the director of studies in economics at Gonville & Caius College. She is a fellow of the Royal Historical Society and the Royal Society of Arts and author of The Sex Factor and Naked Feminism. She lives in Kent, UK.
Dimensions (Overall): 9.3 Inches (H) x 6.4 Inches (W) x 1.8 Inches (D)
Weight: 1.55 Pounds
Suggested Age: 22 Years and Up
Number of Pages: 480
Genre: Business + Money Management
Sub-Genre: Economic History
Publisher: Seal Press (CA)
Format: Hardcover
Author: Victoria Bateman
Language: English
Street Date: September 30, 2025
TCIN: 94501289
UPC: 9781541606067
Item Number (DPCI): 247-34-3893
Origin: Made in the USA or Imported
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Shipping details

Estimated ship dimensions: 1.8 inches length x 6.4 inches width x 9.3 inches height
Estimated ship weight: 1.55 pounds
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Q: What genre does Economica belong to?

submitted by AI Shopping Assistant - 23 days ago
  • A: The book is categorized under Business + Money Management and Economic History, emphasizing women's impact on these fields.

    submitted byAI Shopping Assistant - 23 days ago
    Ai generated

Q: What is the main focus of Economica?

submitted by AI Shopping Assistant - 23 days ago
  • A: The book highlights women's contributions to economic history, showcasing their roles as entrepreneurs and workers throughout the ages.

    submitted byAI Shopping Assistant - 23 days ago
    Ai generated

Q: What time periods does the book cover?

submitted by AI Shopping Assistant - 23 days ago
  • A: Economica spans from the Stone Age to the twenty-first century, highlighting women's economic roles across various civilizations.

    submitted byAI Shopping Assistant - 23 days ago
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Q: Who is the author of the book?

submitted by AI Shopping Assistant - 23 days ago
  • A: Victoria Bateman, an acclaimed economic historian, has previously taught at both Oxford and Cambridge universities.

    submitted byAI Shopping Assistant - 23 days ago
    Ai generated

Q: What insights does the book offer about women's economic roles?

submitted by AI Shopping Assistant - 23 days ago
  • A: It reveals how women's labor has often been overlooked, illustrating their essential contributions to economic prosperity throughout history.

    submitted byAI Shopping Assistant - 23 days ago
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